Out of reading material
by Lorelei Candice Black
Summary: Hook is out of reading material and needs to go to the library for the first time since Gold was forced out of town by Belle after trying to kill him. Short, I hope you'll still like it.


**_Out of reading material_**

_Hook / Belle (friendship)_

_Emma / Hook (romance)_

_Hook is out of reading material and goes to the library and faces Belle for the first time since the clock tower scene, shortly after the mid-season finale (from season 4)._

_I hope this will help you wait until March..._

* * *

"So, what are your plans for the day? Want to join me at the station for lunch?" Emma asked Killian as they sat for breakfast with Henry at Granny's.

"I'd love that. I have a couple of things to do this morning but I'll join you as soon as I'm done." he assured her.

"So, Killian, what did you think of the book I recommended last night?" Henry asked as he ate his bagel.

"Well, this Jules Vernes fellow seems to be a great writer but I'm afraid I don't like these '_e-books_' very much. I'll go see if they have it at the library later this morning in a normal book. My eyes will like it much better." He replied with a smile for the young boy who reminded so much of Baelfire.

"Where did you read the e-book? Do you have a tablet?" Emma asked him curiously.

"I showed him how to do it on the phone." Henry replied proudly.

"On that small screen? Yeah, the paper book will be much easier and enjoyable to read." Emma chuckled.

"What else do you have planned besides going to the library?" Henry asked Killian, ignoring Emma's critics of e-books.

"I have to speak to Smee about something."

"He still wants to go back to pirating?" Emma asked him.

"No, I think he just wants to be able to spend time with me. I've found the perfect project for that." Killian smiled.

"What's that?" Emma and Henry asked together, making him chuckle.

"A surprise. A good one." Killian replied with a smile.

"What kind of surprise?" Emma asked him right after Henry left for school.

"Do you even know what a surprise is Swan?" Killian asked her with a teasing smile.

"Oh come on, surely you can tell me something!" She begged him.

"I can tell you that you'll like it. And so will your boy." he told her with a smile before walking her to the station and heading off to the docks to meet with Smee.

.

Killian pushed the door of the library later in the morning and saw Belle behind the counter. She looked up to him and he saw her hesitate. It was the first time they faced each other since her husband tried to kill him and she forced him out of town and it was obvious that she was worried about what Killian would do. He hoped she knew better than to be afraid. He wasn't that man, not anymore.

Of course if he was to face Gold, he would probably be far less civilized and go straight for the pain but this was Belle, her only fault was to be in love and to have given a second chance to a man nobody else believed in. Lots of stories showed that it could have ended well. It wasn't her fault if her husband had been nonredeemable. He was certainly not going to try and get revenge on her when he would have been dead if she hadn't showed up.

"Good Morning Belle. I'm out of reading material... Henry recommended that I read books from Jules Vernes..." Killian told her, feeling she'd feel more comfortable if he didn't bring up her husband immediately.

"I... Yes, we have the complete collection over there... I... I'm sorry." She told him.

She was glad that he didn't try to start with small talk but she still felt the need to apologize for what he had to go through... She had once accused him of having a rotten heart while Rumpel's was true and she had been proven wrong. The pirate had changed and became a truly good man. Rumpel had been the one who couldn't change and, more so, he couldn't handle the fact that his enemy had changed and become a better man, so he had done his best to ruin him... She still felt that it was her fault.

"What are you sorry for?" He asked her, surprised.

"I should have been more careful with Rumple... I should have seen that he hadn't changed, that he was up to something... I..."

"Don't. You have nothing to apologize for." He replied before she could continue.

"People trusted him because I did... What happened... with the fairies and everything... It's partially my fault." Belle shook her head.

"Hey, everyone was willing to believe he had changed after he sacrificed his life to save the town. The responsibility of what happened is entirely on him." Hook replied gently.

"Thank you... I was afraid you'd hold me responsible..." She whispered as she went to show him the books.

"Don't worry about this... So... How are you? I mean, it's been a few days since he left..."

"I know that people have been worried about me... Archie has been by a couple of times, so has Ruby, Snow and Leroy... I think I'm fine... I'm not the first woman to get her heart broken, and I won't be the last. I just need to concentrate on a project and keep busy." Belle told him.**  
**

"Well, if the library isn't enough, you might want to speak with Henry, Emma and Regina. Something tells me that you'll like their current project." He smiled.

"Why? What are they doing?" She asked him, pulling out several books.

"Trying to find the author of Henry's storybook. You know, the one with everyone's story in it." He replied and she nodded.

"I'll try to talk to them... Here you go, all of Jules Vernes books are here. All you have to do is choose the one you want to read first." She smiled, and Killian took one of the books, knowing he'd be able to take the other ones later.

"I tried reading magazines Smee procured for me but I just... I didn't like it much... I like a good story much better." He told her while checking the books out.

"I understand, I'm the same way." She nodded.

"I think it'll try this one." He said, gabbing one of the books and putting the other ones in place before following Belle to the counter.

"Here you go." She smiled once she had checked the book out.

"Thank you. I... I know we're not exactly close Belle but if you need anything, just ask me. I would be dead if it weren't for you, I would have broken my promise to Emma. I owe you and if there is anything you need, all you have to do is ask." Killian told her.

"You know he'll find a way back, don't you?" She asked Killian after nodding.

"I know. And when he does, we'll have to be ready." he nodded, having thought about this first.

"I'm researching it, in my spare time. I mean, I'm looking for a way to remove his magic without killing him." She informed the pirate.

"Good. Tell me if there's anything I can do to help." he nodded.

"Will do." She replied, relieved that he wasn't objecting or speaking of killing the man she still love despite his doings.

.

"So, did you find the book you wanted?" Emma asked Killian when he arrived at the station later with lunch for the two of them while David left to eat with Mary-Margaret.

"I did." he nodded.

"How was Belle doing?"

"She puts on a good face but I could tell she was still sad and lonely. She's researching a way to remove Rumpelstiltskin's magic without killing him for when he finds his way back in town." Killian explained to her as they settled their lunch on her desk and removed the paperwork from it.

"I'll try to go and see if she wants to go out for a drink with me and Regina later this week." Emma replied.

"I'm sure she'll love that. It can't be easy for her to find herself all alone. I think she blames herself for what he did."

"How come?" Emma asked him.

"Well, think about it. She believes that because she's the one who convinced people that he had changed, everything he's done is her fault." he told Emma.

"I guess it makes sense but she's wrong. I mean, the majority of the town here is all about giving second chances to people. Nobody here blames her." Emma shook her head.

"Maybe she needs to hear it from more people." He replied before bringing the subject to planning their next date.

* * *

**I know it's short but I had it in my head and had to write it.**

**Leave me a review please?**

**I'll soon be publishing a new Once Upon a Time/ Twilight cross over that will be called: The sorcerer's daughter.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


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